Dad Rock

Dancing with Putin’s Secret Daughter

YouTube

According to Reuters today, Russia is building a 1.9 billion ruble ($30 million) state-of-the-art center for the niche sport of Rock’n’Roll dancing just outside of Moscow. The center will be built with government money, which seems odd until you learn that president Vladimir Putin’s secret daughter happens to be very good at the sport.

Russia’s $30 million center for acrobatic rock’n’roll, sport of Putin’s daughter

“Secret daughter?” you might be saying. Reportedly, Putin’s youngest daughter Ekaterina has “not been seen in public since she was a child when her father first came to power 16 years ago.” But there is a Russian Rock’n’Roll dancer named Ekaterina Tikhonova who competed in the world championships back in October. When Russian news outlets asked the president if she might be his daughter going by a new last name, he declined to comment at the time, but there are non-Putin sources on record who say it’s definitely her. With me? ““““Secret””” daughter.

So anyway, Russia is spending $30 million on this new dance center, which seems like a big investment when you consider the supplies the sport requires. According to the World Rock’n’Roll Confederation, it’s a competitive type of partner-based dancing that has roots in Boogie Woogie and Lindy Hop. According to YouTube, it’s like the prom scene from Grease but longer. Here is Ekaterina dancing on a basketball court six months ago:

When a basketball court is not available, any place with a dance floor, sound system, and seating seems to meet their needs. Here are some dancers tearing it up in Western Poland during the 2014 world championships:

Ekaterina also reportedly holds “a senior position” at Moscow State University, and helps direct “a $1.7 billion plan to expand its campus.” Not to be paranoid, but is this? Starting? To sound? Like any father-daughter political duos??? In the news????? ? ? ?? Today?

Anyway, if you were waiting for a good time to take up Rock’n’Roll dancing, it appears the answer is now.